The NEPPA-Q certification program has begun certification for managers!

What is NEPPA-Q?

A Public Utility Certification program which is comprised of completion of some combination of functional knowledge and/or physical skills. The purpose of the NEPPA-Q certification is to ensure a high level of core training, knowledge and/or attributes that candidates need to perform in the various positions in the public utility industry.

How do I earn my certification?

All certifications will require some combination of training, education, physical or knowledge testing to demonstrate basic job acumen. Renewal of certification will be based on continuing education units.

What certification programs are available?

Initial offerings will include certification for General Managers and Linecrew.

Additional individual certification programs will be developed and reviewed periodically by the appropriate NEPPA body.

Certification authorization or re-authorization periods will vary based on individual discipline standards, which will be vetted and documented.

Internal and external programs seeking approval for contact hours or CEUs will be reviewed for approval by qualified NEPPA staff or volunteers.

What else should I know?

NEPPA-Q certification is intended be a basic evaluation at the moment of authorization and does not guarantee that individuals are qualified for individual work places or positions.

NEPPA-Q certifications are not tied to or indicative of the steps of an industry promotional hierarchy. Advancement processes vary greatly amongst public utilities based on size and scope of operations.

Click here to see the Public Utility Management Core for the specific elements of the core.

Other Info

Depending on the type of certification Contact Hours, CEUs or a combination of both may be required for certification maintenance.

A Contact Hour equates to 50 minutes of teaching or knowledge implementation. No assessment of learner’s knowledge accumulation is required.

A Continuing Education Unit or CEU is a minimum of four hours of learning experience with an application of knowledge completed during or at the end of the process.

NEPPA equates four Contact Hours to one CEU.

For a more detailed description of what the Public Utility Manager Certification process entails, please click here!

How do I become a "Certified Public Utility Manager"?

The Public Utility Manager Certification is for those employed or seeking management positions in a public utility. Individual utilities will have their own position requirements. But, this program provides training in the eight core elements that mangers need to address in their positions.

You may achieve your Public Utility Manager Certification one of two ways:

Complete two sessions of the Public Utility Management Program within a one year period

Using our stand alone classes or outside vetted classes to help work toward the certification. These must credits must also be completed within five years

What classes are available?

NEPPA currently offers the Public Utility Management program which has classes in the eight core areas required for Manager Certification.

Additionally, NEPPA will begin offering contact hours at all NEPPA conferences, @ Your-Site trainings, one day trainings and on-line.

Education is also accepted from outside providers. (To ensure the content meets the core requirements, please send official program description and instructor information to NEPPA.)

Trainer's Biographies

Stephen Mark Socoby

Stephen is the Director of Training for the Northeast Public Power Association.

He has 36 years of hands on experience in all facets of operations of public power utilities including: position of Line Superintendent; supervision of crews, maintenance, new construction, reliability and associated plant & sub-station responsibilities. He is a recognized expert in safety and OSHA compliance.

In his role as Director of Training, he is responsible for development and quality of safety & technical programs. He also oversees the lineworkers’ school and teaches utility management and supervision, electronic controls and powerline operation programs.

Recognized as an industry leader and expert, Steve has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Northeast Public Power Association and been recognized by the Maine State Legislature for his previous 30 Years of Distinguished Service. Steve attended the University of Maine at Orono.

Stephen Socoby

Stephen Socoby

Stephen is the Director of Training for the Northeast Public Power Association and is a CUSP.

He has 36 years of hands on experience in all facets of operations, of public power utilities including: Line Superintendent; supervision of crews, maintenance, new construction, reliability and associated plant & sub-station responsibilities. He is a recognized expert in safety and OSHA compliance.

In his role of Director of Training, he is responsible for development and quality of safety & technical programs. He also oversees the line-workers’ school and teaches utility management and supervision, electronic controls and power-line operation programs.

Recognized as an industry leader and expert Steve has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Northeast Public Power Association and been recognized by the Maine State Legislature for his previous 30 Years of Distinguished Service. Steve attended the University of Maine at Orono.

Linda Calderiso

Linda has been with Northeast Public Power Association for 17 years as a trainer.

In her role as trainer, she teaches American Heart Association’s First Aid/CPR/AED course, Medic First Aid Basic Plus course and Ergonomics.

Before joining NEPPA, Linda was an Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer in the US Military.

Linda is also a Federal Emergency Management Agency Reservist and has responded and assessed with Hurricane Irene, Joplin Tornado and Hurricane Sandy. She is certified by the American Council on Exercise as a Group Fitness Leader and teaches indoor cycling.

Pete Crowley

Pete has been a trainer for the Northeast Public Power Association since April of 2015 and travels all throughout New England.

Before joining NEPPA Pete started as a lineman in May of 1984 with Geen Mountain Power. Then he moved over to Burlington Electric in 2002 where he was working line foreman.

Pete has an Associates degree of applied science in Power Technology. He also has his Mass. Hoisting License and will soon be an OSHA instructor.

Pete currently lives in Winooski, VT and has been married to his wife, Mary Ann, for the past 30 years. They have have two children together, Nathan and Natalie. His hobbies are woodworking and rabbit hunting with beagles.

Pete goes on to say “teaching has been a big part of my career and NEPPA gives me a chance to continue teaching, which I love to do!”

Ken Evans

Ken Evans

During his career, Ken worked as a power engineer for over 27 years, for the Reading Municipal Light Department and Concord Municipal Light Plant.

Ken’s other experience includes, but is not limited to, 5 years as a self-employed electrical contractor, 4 years as a power engineer for Computervision Corporation and 6 months as an apprentice lineman.

Lou Gabriele

Lou Gabriele

Lou has been a trainer for the Northeast Public Power Association since April 1999 and has conducted some line schools in NY for NEPPA in the past.

Lou started his line career in May, 1968, with Central Vermont Public Service Corp., which at the time was the largest utility in Vermont. He continued to work there until July 1st 1998. During that time, Lou started as an Apprentice Groundman; moved up to First Class/Journeyman lineman, on to Crew Chief and then to Line Foreman, a position that he held for the last 12 years with the company. His experience includes---overhead construction, underground construction, substation and transmission construction as well as maintenance. During this time period, Live Line (15kv gloving) work was started by the company. Prior to this, everything was done with hot sticks or de-energized lines.

Lou was a member of the CVPS ALL Star Team-recognized for customer service, being a team player and demonstrating other outstanding qualities. He initiated one of the first Apprentice Line Schools, first in-house, and then in conjunction with the State of Vermont and the IBEW.

Robert P. Henriksen

Robert P. Henriksen

Robert has been a trainer for the Northeast Public Power Association since 1993.

He has been in this industry for 50 years and has had an array of different job titles during that time including Lineman at Boston Edison and then Troubleman, Working Foreman, and Supervisor General Foreman at Braintree Electric Light Department, from whence he retired in 2001.

Robert currently conducts training seminars and safety meetings for municipal utilities all over New England and is also knowledgeable in all aspects of OSHA 1910.269 compliance rules and regulations.

He has been a former Chairman of NEPPA’s General Foreman’s Roundtable, a member of the Mutual Aid Committee, and NEPPA’s Mutual Aid coordinator for the 1995 St. Thomas Hurricane Relief Aid. He has also been a former member in many other organizations including the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, former board of member for The Electric Institute, and the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Safety Council.

William F. Hesson

William F. Hesson

Bill has been a trainer for the Northeast Public Power Association for the past 12 years and is our only trainer that covers the state of New York.

Before joining NEPPA Bill was a Niagara Mohawk/National Grid Operating Supervisor for 33 years. Bill has achieved and maintains a Certified Utility Safety Professional Status (CUSP) and had the NEPPA Line School program approved and recognized with the State of New York.

John Jankowski

John Jankowski

John has been a Trainer for the Northeast Public Power Association for the past 16 years and covers areas in New Hampshire (Woodsville and Littleton) and Vermont (Swanton, Enosburg, Lyndonville, and Ludlow).

Before joining NEPPA he attended the U.S. Navy Electrical Schools, worked at Vermont Marble Co. as an electric lineman, and then joined the Central Vermont Public Service Company where he began his career as a groundman and worked his way up to chief lineman over 10 years. He was promoted to, and work as Safety Director, for 26 years.

While in the U.S. Navy he became an Interior Communications Electrician. While working as the Safety Director at Central Vermont Public Service Company he specialized in workers comp, accident prevention, accident investigation, and claims damage and taught various OSHA seminars. He has 41 years of experience with being a First Aid and CPR Trainer. He is currently working with Medic First Aid and was a past instructor for the Red Cross, American Heart Association, and Vermont Heart Association.